Readers Contribute Eco-friendly Suggestions

STEVE SVEKIS HERE'S THE DEAL

With apologies to my lifelong amphibious friend, Kermit the Frog, perhaps it's really not that hard being green.

In response to last week's column about making more pro-environment consumer choices, I received interesting suggestions from readers about how to make simple moves toward being more eco-friendly.

Here's the best of it:

Turning down the water heater: Reducing the setting to 120 degrees provides water hot enough for most household activities. On many units, that setting is about midway between the "low" and "medium" setting.

Fiberglass doors: A very good facsimile to the wood door, these doors do not react to the climate as a lumber product may. On top of the door lasting as long as you want it, you shouldn't need to refinish it, unless you are going for a different color.

Department of Energy's tip site: Check out www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/. It's filled with ideas, a number of which I didn't touch on here.

Solar panels: First you need to make sure your homeowners association (if applicable) will approve such a structure. Here is a Web site listing solar panel companies in the state: www.mobilehomerepair.com/solar-panels (then click on Florida Solar Panels). And here is a how-to-install site: www.solarexpert.com/instroof5.html.

Standing water

Following up on a couple of loose ends from recent columns on hurricane preparation and mosquito repellents, I came across a couple of new products I wanted to share.

The WaterBOB, at 100 gallons, will fill up inside a standard bathtub and it's the best deal I've seen for a large-scale freshwater-storage container.

An Internet promotion is selling the food-grade plastic bladder for $24.95 ($29.95 otherwise). Contact 800-209-9804 or click on www.waterbob.com.

Regarding skeeter control, for those who spend a lot of time entertaining outside the house, there is an installation that can be placed along the eaves of the structure, through which an aromatic repellent spray is emitted.

Platinum Mosquito Protection (www.platinummosquito.com/residential.html and 954-888-9311) uses a spray of pyrethrum (a repellent that occurs naturally in chrysanthemums) to repel and kill mosquitoes and many other insects.

The installation tends to often fall in a range between $2,500 and $3,500.

The company also provides protection for commercial establishments and the horse industry.

Also, if you are allergic to or otherwise averse to wearing DEET products, Picaridin is a pretty good alternative (www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid /westnile/RepellentUp dates.htm).

Picaridin is the active ingredient in such applications as Cutter products.

Finally, there is Buzz-Off apparel, which is clothing treated with permethrin, a synthetic version of pyrethrum.

The company says the clothing can maintain its potency through 25 washings.

Check www.buzzoff.com.

Steve Svekis can be reached at heresthedeal@sun-sentinel.com, 954-356-4412 or 561-243-6600, ext. 4412.